It’s been 16 years since Ankush Gada had heard that word - HIV. He contradicts the emaciated picture that comes to most minds while thinking of HIV. Healthy, active and living a fruitful and planned life, Ankush believes in being a productive part of the community and society.

Yet the road traveled was not an easy one. After being diagnosed with HIV in the late 90s, Ankush had to come to terms with the risks he took that put him in this predicament. He had to answer near and dear ones - accepting his fate with grace and humility. Making peace with his circumstances, he mustered up the courage and will to lead his life as healthily as he can.

 

 People did not distinguish between HIV and AIDS and this was one of the common misconceptions he had to face. Ignorance, bigotry and misinformation were rampant evils that he had to constantly battle with.

 

Ankush discovered that being infected with HIV after a bout of severe illness, the family doctor prescribed medicines without investigations. When the illness showed no signs of ebbing, Ankush reached the civil hospital as a last resort. He was referred to doctors who could diagnose HIV and he was counseled and given the right information.

 

Ankush learnt that one can control HIV like Diabetes. Living a healthy life and keeping infections away was the key to keeping AIDS away. He just needed to readjust his lifestyle and make time for medicines now.

 

Ankush found hope and transformed his way of life. He continues to be accepted in society.

 

 The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) supported by Avert Society -who was looking for community members for an advocacy and education program on HIV found him to be the perfect ambassador of hope. In him they found a living testimonial to strengthen their education drive. The message was simple – that it was possible to lead a normal life with HIV.  And there was no cause for fear or reason to panic.

 

Through all this Ankush’s family has been firm and unrelenting in its support to him. His mother is the only person who still doesn’t know that he has HIV as she wonders why her son is unmarried- just one of the few compromises he has had to make. Ankush spends his spare time advising people on the importance of making the right choices and avoiding risks of HIV.

 

While Ankush may have reconciled to his fate, he doesn’t want to see another Ankush Gada being christened in society.